Teachers

Harav Yehuda Amital

A Hungarian survivor of the Holocaust, Rav Amital emigrated to Israel in 1944, and resumed his yeshiva studies in Jerusalem. During the War of Independence, he served in the Hagana armored corps, taking part in the famous battle of Latrun. Subsequently, he took an active role in the development of Yeshivat Hadarom, where he was involved in the formulation of the idea of yeshivat hesder. Following the Six Day War, Rav Amital founded and assumed leadership of Yeshivat Har Etzion. He was a dominant public figure in Israel, widely respected on matters of religious and national concern. As of Cheshvan 5769, Harav Yehuda Amital shlit"a, founding Rosh Yeshiva, while continuing his involvement with the yeshiva, officially retired as Rosh Yeshiva. Harav Amital passed away at the age of 85 on the 27th of Tamuz, 5770 (2010), and was mourned by thousands of students and admirers. He is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Rabbanit Miriam Amital, as well as their five children (all of whom are involved, together with their spouses, in Torah education in Israel), and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Yeshivat Har Etzion, the institution he founded and guided for over four decades, will always remain his great legacy to Am Yisrael. For more about Harav Amital, click here.

The Rambam writes in Hilkhot Kiddush Ha-chodesh (1:7):
"There is a positive commandment from the Torah for Bet Din to calculate and see whether or not the [new] moon was sighted, and interrogate the witnesses until they declare the new month.